WHAT LUXOR REVEALED

Otago Witness, Issue 3594, 30 January 1923, Page 25

WHAT LUXOR REVEALED

FIRST ACCOUNT OF DISCOVERY. MOST IMPORTANT OF MODERN TIMES. The following account of the I,uxor discovery was sent to the London Times by its Cairo col respondent, under date November 29: — This afternoon Lord Carnarvon and Mr Howard Carter revealed to a large company what promises to be the most sensational Egyptological discovery of the century . The find consists of, among other ob{ects, the funeral paraphernalia of the Egyptian King Tutankhamen, one of the famous heretic kings of the Eighteenth Dynasty, who reverted to Amen worship. Little is known of the later kings, including Tutankhamen, and the discovery should add invaluably to our knowledge of this period and of the great city of "Tel-el-Amarna, which was founded in the fifteenth century B.c. by Amenhotep IV, the first of the heretic kings. The remarkably discovery announced today’ is the reward of patience, perseverance, and perspicacity. For nearly 16 years Lord Carnarvon, with the assistance of Air Howard Carter, has been carrying out excavations on that part of the site of ancient Thebes situated on the west bank of' the Nile at Luxor. From time to time interesting historical data were unearthed. but nothing of a really striking •character was found, although Deir el Bahari and Drah Abul Neggar were diligently explored. Seven veam ago the work was started in the Valley of the Kings, after other excavators had abandoned the Valley. Here, again, he, excavators had little success. At. times they almost despaired of finding anything, yet they did not lose heart. The search was continued systematically, and at lasi the dogged perseverance of Air Carter. Ins thoroughness, and above all his “Bair," were rewarded by the discovery, where the Royal necropolis of the Theban Empire was situated, directly below the tomb of Rameses VI, of what looked like a cache. Air Carter covered up the site, and telegraphed to Lord Carnarvon, who at once came out from England. By this time news of the find had got about. The whole of Luxor, where everyone down to the smallest urchin is an antiquity hunter, was agog. Great was the speculation in regard to the contents of the chamber. Would one of the missing kings be found inside? Was it the tomb of a queeu or a high member of the Court of ancient, Egypt (for the region is the burial place not only of many celebrated early "Egyptian kings, hut also of their wives and high officials)? Little, however, did Lord Carnarvon and Air Carter suspect the wonderful nature of the contents of the chambers —for there are more than one—as they stood outside. The sealed outer door was oarefully opened; then a way was cleared down some sixteen steps along a passage of about 25ft. The door to the chambers was found to be sealed as the outer door had been, and. as on the outer door, there were traces o e reclosing. With difficulty an entrance was effected, and when at last the excavators managed to squeeze their way in an extraordinary •sight met their eyes, one that they could scarcely credit-. THE TREASURE WITHIN, i First they saw three magnificent State eouches, all gilt, with exquisite carving and heads of Tvphori, Hathor, and lion. On these rested beds, beautifully carved, gilt, inlaid with ivory and semi-precious stones, and also innumerable boxes of exquisite workmanship. One of these boxes was inlaid with ebony and ivory, with gilt inscriptions; another contained emblems of the underworld ; on a third, which contained Royal robes, handsomely embroidered, precious stones, and golden sandals, were beautifully painted hunting scenes. There was a stool of ebony inlaid with ivory, with the most delicately carved duck’s feet”; also a child’s stool of fine workmanship. Beneath one of the couches was the State Throne of King Tutankhamen, probably one of the most beautiful objects of art ever discovered. ’There was also a heavily gilt chair, with portraits of the King and Queen, the whole encrusted with turquoise, cornelian, lapis, and other semiprecious stones. ... - i Two life-sized bituminised statues of the King, with gold work, holding a golden stick and mace, faced each other, the handsome features, the feet, and the hands delicately carved, with eyes of glass and head-dress richly studded with gems. There were also four chariots, the sides of which were encrusted with semi-precious stones and rich gold decoration. These were dismantled, with a charioteer’s apron of leopard’s skin hanging over the seat. Other noteworthy objects were Royal sticks, one of ebony with the head of an Asiatic as a handle in gold, another of the handsomest filigree work ; also a stool for a throne witli Asiatics carved on it. denoting that the King had placed his foot on the neck of the Asiatic prisoners taken in war. * Xhere were some quaint bronze-gilt musical instruments and a robing dummy for Royal ■wigs and robes. . . There were also some exquisite alabaster vases with very intricate and unknown design, all of one piece, and some handsome blue’ Egyptian faience, and enormous quantities of provisions for the dead, comprising trussed duck, haunches of venison, etc., all packed in boxes according to the custom of the time. There were some remarkable wreaths, still looking evergreen, and one of the boxes contained rolls of papyri, which are expected to render a mass of informatj<A further chamber revealed an indescribable state of confusion. Here furniture, gold beds, exquisite boxes, and alabaster vases similar to those found in the first chamber were piled high one on top of the other, so closely packed that it has been impossible to get inside yet. Numliers of these treasures are in a fairly -ood state of preservation, but others are in’ a somewhat precarious condition. The greatest care is being taken in handling them, however, and there is every hope that under Air Carter’s capable direction most of them will be preserved. On the occasion of the official opening of the chambers, Lord Carnarvon s daughter, Lady Evelyn Herbert, entertained a large party at luncheon at the A alley of Kings, including Lady Allenby arid Abdel Aziz Bey Yebia, Governor of Kena Province, who has given invaluable assist} ance in safeguarding the treasures. ;j From the manner in which its contents werfe disposed it is evident that this cache has not remained untouched since it was buried. There seems no doubt that this

wonderful collection of objects formed part of the funeral paraphernalia of King Tutankhamen, whose cartouche is seen everywhere. in lioth its forms, and that they were moved from the tombs where they were originally placed, and in order to preserve them from ihieves were transferred for safety to these chambers. The sealing and blocking of the doors and passages which have so far been opened suggest that metal robbers had attacked these chambers and that inspectors of Ramese IX bad reason to enter to reclose them. From the famous Abbot, and other papyri it is known that these Royal tombs suffered at the hands of robbers. But. whatever the chambers may have contained originally, their contents to-day are sufficient cause for sensation in the Egyptological world. They considerably increase our knowledge of ancient Egyptian history and art, and experts who were present at to-day’s opening consider that the discovery will probably rank as the most important of modern times. The discovery wiil clear up many obscure points in regard to the Eighteenth Dynasty, among others, that not only was Sntenkhkara co-regent with Akhenaten, but it appears that he must have died, or ceded the throne, simultaneously with him Sepulchral objects of Smenkhkara found here bear protocols of both monarchs. Tutankhamen’s reign, which was circa 1358 to 1350 it. a. marks a transition from the Aten faith back to the worship of Amen. Scenes and inscriptions upon his funeral furniture depict the king under both religions, first under the Aten faith, when he was named Tutankhalen, or Living Image of Aten or Sun’s Disc, and secondly, in Theban style, under Amen worship. where he calls himself Tutankhamen, or the Living Image of Amen. What adds interest to this discovery is that there is still yet a third sealed chamber, which, significantly, the two figures of the king discovered are guarding, and which may possibly turn out to be the actual tomb of King Tutankhamen, with members of the heretic’s family buried with him. Until the vast amount of material in the other chambers has been completely removed it will be impossible to ascertain the contents of this third chamber.